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07-31-2006, 11:46 PM
| #1 (permalink) | |
| Will Work For Truck Parts Paid Member  | August 2006 Gen 2 TOTM - Congratulations to Eric "dowheelies" Leeper! (NLOC #1081) August 2006 Gen 2 Truck Of The Month - Congratulations to Eric “dowheelies” Leeper! (NLOC #1081) Another excellent and quick example of the second generation Lightning in the NLOC community. Currently Eric is getting ready to build a turbo GenII Lightning which is going to be a BEAST!! which he alludes to in his interview as well as he is building his 2000 Silver Lightning to be a daily driven 10 second truck. Now, let's check out what Eric is up to...  Question # 1: What sparked your interest in the Ford Lightning? I was at the airport traveling for business and saw a magazine cover with a red Ford pickup doing a giant smokey burnout. I remember reading about a factory supercharged beast that was to be released for the 1999 model year. I knew I had to have one at that moment!! Finally in the fall of 2000 I was able to buy my 2000 silver Lightning and the rest is history.  Question # 2: What modifications have you made to your truck since you have owned it...both show and go? On the 2000 I have pretty much done everything other than the stock motor, transmission and rear-end. The performance mods are a KB twin screw supercharger, SCT chip and MAF, REM Smooth intake kit, ported plenum, 55lb. injectors, JDM electric fan, Cobra pump, Fluidyne heat exchanger, JDM long tubes & Silver Bullet exhaust, Art Carr 2400 stall converter, NX Progressive Nitrous Controller and wet kit, 3.73’s, QA-1 shocks, Belltech front springs & rear shackles, 6-point roll bar with swing outs, and a 5 point Simpson harness. In the show department the truck was totally repainted in a Silver Pearl metallic that I absolutely love. At the same time a Cervini’s cowl hood, flush bed cover, 2001 & up head, tail & fog lights, smooth side steps and roll pan were added. The wheels are either 18X9.5 Centerline Billet Matrix 5’s with Nitto’s for the street or Bogart D-10’s with Hoosiers for the track.  Question # 3: Do you have any interesting stories about your Lightning? I don’t know if it’s interesting to others, but the road to setting the stock longblock ET/MPH record was a great feeling for me. I really got interested as a few guys started to go mid 11’s. When Mat “SVT F150” went 11.3X I really took notice and started to shoot for the goal of catching up and surpassing that mark. I spent about 8 month’s tuning and tweaking the truck with lots of datalogging at the track. With the help of Jim D’Amore’s tuning at the track and via e-mail’s with data we finally hit the mark. The truck went 11.05 @ 122.86 at Moroso Motorsports Park in Florida. That record still stands today to my knowledge with a supercharger. Frank “Frank5L” did smash it however with a turbocharger. Question # 4: Tell us about yourself, your hobbies, business or work, sports, family, etc. I am first and foremost a father to my two wonderful sons. They are 5 & 7 years old and are boys through and through. They are a blast to hang out with and define a large part of who I am these days. I have enjoyed being involved with both football and baseball with my oldest son and look forward to when the little one starts some organized activities this year. I can’t figure out why but they both seem to have a great passion for cars!! I’ve been a licensed General Contractor in Florida for the last 4 years. Our company builds for a number of national chain stores, local retailers, restaurants and hotels. My favorite hobby is cars both racing and working on them. I love the feeling of improving them in both looks and especially performance. I have managed to put together a pretty nice workshop and plan to install a lift in the near future. I also enjoy going out on the boat regularly for either weekend getaways or day trips. The Bahamas and the Keys are regular destination’s easily accessible when it’s time to get away from it all... Eric Leeper Construx LLC  Question # 5: How long have you been a user of the NLOC.net, when did you become an NLOC member, and why did you choose to become a member of NLOC? I started surfing the site in mid 2001 when I set my mind on finding a Lightning. I became a member in October of 2001 when I finally found my L. I chose to become a paid member to help out as I really liked the direction it was taking and was on it pretty much every day. I’ve met a lot of friends via this board. I have most enjoyed meeting guys at tracks around the country face to face for the first time after talking on the boards. It’s pretty neat that you feel like you’ve known each other for years. Dwight and Nan have done a great job and I thank them for doing what it takes to keep the site and Lightningfest going. Question # 6: What suggestions do you have to make the NLOC.net website easier to use and navigate? Well the recent changes have been great. I haven’t been as active the last couple months as I’ve been amazingly busy.  Question # 7: Why did you pick your board user name (screen name)? I actually got my screen name from my oldest son Christopher. He has always gotten excited when I would get on it. I had an ‘85 Mustang GT convertible when he was a baby and he would smile and carry-on every time I gave it some gas. Later when he was about 2 I had picked up the Lightning. He used to say “do wheelies Daddy” when we were in the truck. I guess when your that little of a guy it looks like your doing wheelies when you get on it!!  Question # 8: What are your plans for future changes to your truck? Well the 2000 Silver is now apart and getting a freshening up. The motor and tranny are getting rebuilt, the undercarriage has been stripped of all undercoating and painted. I’m going to update the fuel system. Black carpeting, seat conversion and Expedition center console. This will put the truck just what I always wanted it to be… a real driven 10 second truck that looks as mean as it runs. The 1999 Lightning (former REM Racetruck) I got from Tim “Timburntire” is getting the built aluminum Ford GT blocked 32 valve motor in it with a Precision/Garrett GT 47-88 turbo. I will run a Turbo 400 and BigStuff 3 ECM. With the amount of weight reduction and the killer 4-link and fabricated 9” rear I’m hoping to go real low 9’s if not ultimately high 8’s.  Question # 9: Whom you would like to thank for help\donations\support for putting the truck together?? I’d like to thank the members of the academy… J/K. Many friends deserve thanks for helping me out both building/modding the truck and helping with the driving/pit work at many NMRA & FFW events. Rich D. “1BADBOLT” & Tim K. “Timburntire” have put a lot of hours wrenching, driving and helping in the pits (not to mention the mass quantities of beer and Jagerbombs). Jim D. @ JDM has tuned the truck to a tee. Neil G. (R.I.P) “Jewishlightning” wrenched and supplied a garage and food on so many late nights. Al Papitto has been awesome with the engine work and taught me a heck of a lot. My business partner Frank has endured the many phone calls, stacks of parts in our office, AMEX bills from he!! and a lot of long weekends so I can do what I enjoy.  Eric’s best to date is a 1.597 60 foot, 11.055 @ 122.86 on Slicks. Quote:
Congratulations to Eric Leeper and his 2000 Ford Lightning for Gen 2 Truck of the Month, August 2006 | |
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08-01-2006, 08:58 AM
| #5 (permalink) |
| Boost Kills !!!!!!!  Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Oxford, Alabama
Posts: 2,640
View this user's gallery iTrader: 24 / 100% | Congrats !!! Awesome Lightnings !! 
__________________ SOLD - 2003 Lightning # 1180 SOLD - 1993 Lightning # 5173  2005 Pontiac GTO 2004 Mustang Mach1 2004 Chevy 2500HD 4x4 CrewCab Diesel |
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08-06-2006, 08:17 PM
| #15 (permalink) |
| I am a jerk and banned!  Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gone!
Posts: 4,294,967,288
View this user's gallery iTrader: 12 / 100% | Cmon man lets get some more turbo Lightnings here in FL...... Looks awsome and hope to see you around sometime |
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